1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates, generally, to linerless label media printing apparatus and, more particularly, to linerless label media cutting mechanisms for severing and presenting label media.
2. Description of Related Art
In the label media printing industry, efficiency requires that printed labels are created using printing apparatus that is reliable, requires minimal maintenance and is facile in operation. Conventionally, label media are introduced to a printer on a continuous strip of thin liner paper that carries individually die cut labels to be printed on. The labels are adhesively attached to the liner paper. Subsequent to printing, each label is separated from the liner paper and presented to an applicator that transfers the label to an article.
The liner paper remaining after printing is extremely wasteful and a need emerged for linerless label media. Linerless label media is known and available in roll form, similar to a roll of tape or the like.
Printers are also known that are adapted for printing linerless label media. These may include printers specifically dedicated for use with linerless label media or printers including a modified conventional cutting device. Typically, a conventional cutting device is modified for severing linerless label media. The internal workings of the printer are adapted so that adhesive from the label media will not adhere to the printer's mechanical parts. In operation, the printer presents the printed label media to the modified cutting device which, in turn, presents the label to an applicator. The applicator is adapted to accommodate the modified cutting device.
Some linerless label media dedicated devices include a linerless label media printer disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,996. In operation, the printer advances the printed portion past a standard cutting blade. U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,293 discloses a thermal printer for printing linerless labels utilizing a conventional cutter. U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,320 discloses a linerless media and cutter having a cutter station comprising a plurality of cutting assemblies which extend radially and rotate about a wheel.
The aforementioned devices require a printer exclusively dedicated for use with linerless label media or require a high degree of modification to an existing printer for accommodating linerless label media. These modifications disadvantageously involve disruption of the printer's components.
Another disadvantage of the conventional cutter is that access to the internal workings of the printer, for maintaining and loading the printer with linerless label media, is prohibitive. Most conventional cutters require media loaded into an opening in the reverse direction that the label media is presented to the cutter from the printer. This requires a roll of media to be threaded blindly into a printer, of ten resulting in a misfeed.
Yet another disadvantage of the prior art is that the cutting blades of a conventional cutter become gummed rapidly due to the adhesive from linerless label media. The rapid gumming of the cutter blades necessitates frequent maintenance of the cutter resulting in inefficient printing operation.
It is, therefore, an object of the present disclosure to provide a linerless label media cutting apparatus that is easily mounted to an existing printer with a minimal degree of modification to the printer.
It is another object of the present disclosure to provide a cutting apparatus that allows facile access to the internal workings of a printer for loading label media and reduces maintenance requirements. Desirably, such a design provides a cutting mechanism that is adaptable to a linerless label media applicator.